Duterte's ultimatum to NAIA: no more 'tanim bala' or you're all fired!

Presumptive president-elect Rodrigo Duterte issued a severe warning saying that he will fire everyone working at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) if the bullet planting scheme continues.

In a YouTube video published a day after the elections, Duterte addressed the NAIA staff while appearing on Pastor Apollo Quiboloy’s show saying “Kayong nasa NAIA, ‘pag may tanim pa diyan, lahat kayo alis.”

(All of you working in NAIA, if bullet planting happens again, you’re all fired.)

Duterte was referring to the “tanim bala” or the controversial bullet planting scheme happening in Manila’s international airports.

Live bullets are allegedly placed inside passengers’ luggage by airport personnel as a means of extortion.

Random Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), local and foreign tourists, and even the elderly were victimized by this alleged racket.

According to testimonies, victims who are caught with the live bullets are usually asked to pay a huge amount to avoid detention and flight delays.

“I do not care even if you’re chief of office or your CO there knows or has nothing to do with it, istasyon, ganun din (also at the station level),” said Duterte.

“Kung ang Chief of Police hindi niya kontrolodo ang pulis niya, at may pulis diyan naglalaro, out silang lahat,” he added.

(If the Chief of Police doesn’t have control over his officers, and there’s an officer who’s playing dirty, all of them should be taken out.)

Duterte said he will assign them to an area where a lot of kidnapping happens.

“And I will accommodate you sa Mindanao, dun sa Zamboanga. Magandang ano dun. Zamboanga, maraming beach. Sa harap ng Zamboanga is an island called, ano’ng pangalan ng island na 'yan? Kasi maraming kinikidnap dyan, dyan na kayo magligo-ligo muna,” said Duterte in the video.

(I will accommodate you in Mindanao, there in Zamboanga. It’s nice in Zamboanga and it has lots of beaches. In front of Zamboanga is an island called, what is it called again? A lot of people get kidnapped there, you should swim there.)

Duterte also reiterated his firm stance against criminality and corruption.

“Do not do it to me because I said I am awed and humbled by the vote given to me by the people. For after all, I did not also ask that I be president,” he said.

Source: KAMI.com.gh